Honoring Tradition

January 5, 2002|By Tanya Weinberg Staff Writer

Plenty of Americans have already stripped their homes of the family Christmas tree, nativity scenes, and even some of the less successful gifts. But for a growing group of children, the season's best is yet to come.

Like their cousins all around Latin America, young Hispanics here will go to bed tonight eager to awaken Sunday, find their presents and enjoy traditional Three Kings Day food and entertainment.

The day, which honors the day the three wise men arrived in Bethlehem to recognize Jesus, is more important than Christmas in some Latin countries. For three decades, Miami-Dade Cuban-Americans have celebrated the day with a Little Havana parade. Now Hispanic leaders in Broward and Palm Beach counties have organized new events they hope will become new traditions.

"I think it's very important for us for our culture to be present. Not just for us, but for the kids who are growing up here," said Frank Nieves, president of the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Broward County.

The chamber will host a festival at C.B. Smith Park in Pembroke Pines from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, featuring live music and Puerto Rican specialties like lechM-sn (roast pork) and arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas).

Nieves, a former professional percussionist, will be among the performers playing salsa and traditional Puerto Rican Christmas carols, called aguinaldos.

"Each verse you try to sing something related to the Three Kings and you follow certain patterns," Nieves said. "We don't have too many experts, so we're going to do it in our own little style."

At his Montezuma Restaurant in West Palm Beach, Angel Guerrero and helpers spent Friday afternoon preparing the rosca de reyes, a traditional Mexican cake at Three Kings Day parties. Whoever bites into a little doll hidden inside the cake must host another party on Feb. 2.

As founder of the Aztec Mexican Organization of Palm Beach County, Guerrero has organized a festival at Dreher Park's main pavilion Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. He has invited ranchera and mariachi musicians to perform.

"This is lovely, because it's helping people retain our culture," Guerrero said. "It gives me pleasure that now, many people are making the rosca and pan de muerto [a traditional cake eaten on Nov.2, the Day of the Dead], and more are celebrating Cinco de Mayo."

Individual families are also trying to keep traditions alive. Brenda Santiago, who leads the Hispanic Alliance of the National Conference on Community and Justice, will take her children outside today to cut grass for the Three King's camels. The kids will then put it in a shoebox under their bed, and in the morning the most important present of the year will stand in its place.

"I think because of all the American influence, we celebrate Christmas, but in Puerto Rico, Christmas was more just a family dinner and going to church," she said.

The Three Kings Parade in Miami begins at noon and will run on Southwest Eighth Street between Fourth and 22nd Avenues, to be followed by a live music festival.

As Hispanics strive to retain their traditions, American traditions may very well grow, said Joaquin Roy, Professor of International Studies at the University of Miami.

"If Santa Claus was incorporated into American culture, why not Three Kings?" he asked.

Tanya Weinberg can be reached at tweinberg@sun-sentinel.com or 954-385-7923.